


Mistletoe

by grimmlin



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Awkward Dean Winchester, Christmas in the Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Emotionally Hurt Castiel (Supernatural), Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sam Winchester is So Done, Second Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 19:59:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17148182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimmlin/pseuds/grimmlin
Summary: Dean has been distant and Castiel anxious over a spur of the moment kiss nearly a month ago. With Christmas at hand, Cas decides to bring a little cheer into the bunker with the hopes that this might break the tension between him and Dean.





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> A simple little one-shot that I had no intention of writing until *poof* there it was. I imagine this to be pre-season 12...before Jack exists and the Empty becomes a threat to Castiel's happiness.
> 
> Happy Christmas everybody!
> 
> If you enjoy, comments and kudos really make my day.

“Caaasss” Dean whines, rolling his head on his shoulders. A simple eye roll with not suffice for the amount of ridiculous he is confronted with right now.

            Cas stops, hands full of tangled garland as he turns his head to take in Dean’s petulant expression. “Dean?” Castiel cocks his head in confusion. “I thought you and Sam would enjoy the decorations?” A look of concern flashes over Castiel’s features, worry mixed with a healthy dose of doubt as his gaze travels over the multitude of twinkling lights, gleaming glass bulbs and fresh garland adorning the library of the bunker.

            He had been busy all night, searching the forest for the perfect pine boughs and pacing up and down the aisles of the local Wal-Mart to find the perfect ornaments. He even bought stockings and candy for the Winchesters to find in the morning. This morning.

            Dean scrubs a tired hand over his face, looking at the assorted decorations with an expression normally reserved for children playing soccer a little too close to Baby. “We don’t really _do_ Christmas, Cas” he shakes his head to emphasize his low grumble.

            “Oh” Castiel blinks, staring towards Dean. Sam is still asleep, thankfully. If Dean doesn’t like the decorations, maybe he still has time to take everything down and Sam will never know. “I…I can put it all away. I’ll…I won’t take long” Castiel frowns as he drops the tangled garland back into the bag from the store. He pushes to his feet and dusts the glitter off his hands before frowning at the sparkling trail it leaves on his trench coat. “My apologies”

            Castiel’s heart sinks as he turns away from Dean. He only wanted to do something to make the Winchester’s happy and he failed yet again. He begins unhooking the bulbs from the garland draped across the doorframe and tightness builds in his chest.

            Dean has been so distant lately and Castiel can feel the waves of discomfort coming from the man. He just can’t figure out what he did wrong.

            “Cas” Dean’s tone is softer now but Castiel still doesn’t turn around. He’s afraid to. He doesn’t want to see the disappointment written behind those green eyes or the regret written over his features.

            They had kissed, a spur of the moment thing, nearly a month ago and Dean has all but run away since. Castiel had tried to leave. The rejection had burned in his gut worse than the indigestion he had experienced during his brief interlude as a human. Sam had taken hold of Castiel’s shoulder and pulled him back from the heavy door at the top of the stairs.

            Sam had begged Cas to stay. Dean had watched Castiel’s attempted departure with apparent indifference.

            But Sam wanted him to stay. So Castiel did.

            Now he’s disappointed Dean yet again.

            “Cas” Dean’s voice comes again, closer this time and barely more than a whisper.

            Castiel freezes, swallowing hard. He fights the trembling building in his shoulders and the heat prickling behind his eyes. Before he met Dean, Castiel had no idea what it was like to cry. Now he knows, a little too well.

            A heavy hand settles on Castiel’s shoulder and tugs him around.

            “I’m sorry, Dean. I didn’t mean to upset you” Castiel breathes out, grace aching with the need to reach out to his beautiful hunter but he knows his touch would not be welcome. Dean holds him at arm’s length for a reason. Cas is only thankful that Dean is this close.

            Dean has barely allowed himself to be in the same room as Cas since their disastrous kiss.

            The kiss was perfect, heated and soft before turning hard and needy. Dean had moaned and whined, tugged Cas closer as his verdant eyes slid closed. His calloused fingers had tangled in Castiel’s hair, holding his Angel close and Castiel had melted against Dean; thinking everything was finally as it should be.

            Until Dean pulled away as if Castiel suddenly became a live wire that was about to electrocute him into oblivion.

            Dean had turned away and locked himself in his room for two days afterward.

            Which is why Castiel had wanted to leave.

            “Cas” Dean lifts his hand from Castiel’s shoulder and cups his jaw, thumb stroking along Castiel’s cheekbone. “I didn’t think you’d be into all this crap” Dean’s gaze flickers towards the Christmas decorations. “It looks like Santa’s workshop puked all over the place” He forces a chuckle, but his gaze never truly leaves Castiel’s face.

            “I…” Cas finds words hard to grasp as he stares into Dean’s wide and wary eyes. He swallows hard, tongue darting out to lick his lip against his will. Dean’s eyes track the movement and Cas clears his throat to try to break whatever spell they’ve fallen under. “Most Christmas traditions have Pagan roots. In fact, very little about this holiday is unique to Christianity. We were very confused watching you humans create this holiday” Castiel rambles, heart racing with Dean’s proximity as he stands frozen in the other man’s grasp.

            “I’m sorry” Dean mutters in a rush, eyes sliding closed as he leans his forehead against Castiel’s. Cas squeaks slightly in surprise and Dean lets out a self-deprecating chuckle. “I’ve been an ass”

            “You have” Castiel agrees before he can even think to protest Dean’s words.

            “Thought you were gonna leave” Dean mumbles, his warm breath ghosting across Castiel’s lips.

            Cas can hear the pain laced in Dean’s words. “Should I have? Sam wanted me to stay, and you wouldn’t talk to me….” Cas begins to ramble again, afraid to move even slightly and risk spooking Dean again now that he’s finally talking.

            “No” Dean’s grip on Castiel’s jaw tightens and his free hand finds Castiel’s hip and draws him closer. “I…” Dean swallows hard. “I can’t lose you”

            Cas sighs, letting his forehead press harder against Dean’s in exasperation. He reaches an arm around Dean’s back, drawing him into a loose hug. He’s at a loss for what to say, what to do. “You won’t, Dean” Castiel promises, heart clenching at the pain hidden in those words. He’ll never be able to leave Dean or give up on him. Even if Dean never returns the depth of Castiel’s feelings.

            “I need you” Dean clenches his eyes tighter.

            “Dean…” Cas begins, nearly ready to pull away and reclaim the personal space Dean had once been so adamant they maintain.

            Dean holds him tighter. “Can you forgive me?”

            “Always” Castiel answers with a wry smile. No matter how much it hurts, he’ll always forgive Dean. No matter what happens in the world or what they do to each other.

            “You’re my best friend” Dean finally draws his head back enough to look Castiel in the eye. His green eyes glisten with excess moisture and single tear tracks down his cheek, rolling nearly to sharp cut of his jaw.

            “Dean” Castiel coos, reaching a hand to thumb away the errant droplet of moisture and Dean gives a watery laugh.

            “Cas?” Dean glances up, gaze questioning.

            Castiel hums in response, taking a step back since surely Dean has reached his limits for physical contact. Cas does not want him withdrawing again now Dean has finally decided that their friendship is worth more than a botched kiss.

            “Thank you” Dean give Cas a wry smile. “For not leaving my dumb ass, for all of this” Dean waves a hand around, gesturing towards the possibly ridiculous amount of Christmas decorations. “Sam is gonna love it” A genuine smile creeps over Dean’s features and light creeps back into his gaze as he drinks in Castiel’s presence.

            “This is ok, then?” Cas asks doubtfully, fingers twitching toward his abandoned garland.

            “Can I help?” Dean gives a half smile as he looks past Castiel to the bags of decorations still left to be unpacked.

            Castiel nods, his own smile finally beginning to creep over his features. “I would like that”

            Dean nods and steps around Castiel, reaching for a bag containing shiny tinsel. “Where did you even find this stuff? I haven’t seen this crap since the first Christmas Sam and I spent at Bobby’s” He scoops up a handful of the gold and silver strands and heads for the tall pine that Castiel had dragged in from the forest.

            Cas stands frozen to the spot, watching Dean drape of the stringy gleaming strands over the deep green needles of the tree. “Wal-Mart has everything. I didn’t know what you and Sam would prefer, so I purchased a little bit of everything” He explains, deep voice rumbling through the large room as he watches Dean’s easy movements.

            Dean turns to give Cas a smirk, but the expression dies on his lips as his eyes track upwards. He swallows hard, Adam's apple bobbing visibly as he nods to himself before crossing the room to Castiel.

            “Dean?” Cas cocks his head, somewhat taken aback by the determination written across the other man’s features.

            Dean crowds into Castiel’s space, one hand going to the dip of Castiel’s spine to draw him close while the other finds a home along the edge of Castiel’s jaw once again. “Mistletoe” Dean says by way of explanation as he leans in to close the remaining distance between them.

            Castiel’s breath hitches and his heart begins to hammer. “Dean?” He knows panic edges into his tone and he hates that Dean flinches back slightly at the sound of his name.

            “Can I kiss you?” Dean breathes, mere inches separating their lips.

            Castiel blinks, body screaming YES while his heart stutters at the prospect of being hurt irreparably. “Are you going to run away again?” He forces himself to ask, swallowing hard around his words.

            “If he does, I’ll kick his ass myself!” Sam gripes from across the room, his tone annoyed yet unsurprised.

            “Sam!” Dean squeaks as he all but drops Castiel in his haste to put space between them.

            Sam rolls his eyes and waves a tired hand at the two of them. “Just kiss him already, Dean. Quit being a dumbass” He mumbles through a yawn as he makes his way through the room toward the kitchen. “Decorations are awesome, Cas” He flashes Cas a grin as he disappears around the corner, leaving both Angel and hunter gaping at the now empty doorway.

            Dean is the first to break the spell, shaking his head and releasing a low chuckle. “Nothin like being called out by my kid brother” He steps back into Castiel’s space and his hands quickly find their former positions. “I was scared before, never thought I could have you” He fists his hand in the back of Castiel’s coat, holding on tight.

            Cas smiles fondly, feeling Dean’s uncertainty through his grace. “I’ve been yours since my grace first brushed against your soul in the depths of hell”

            Dean nods and huffs a laugh. “So whadda say, Cas? Will you give me a chance?” His thumb strokes gently over the arch of Castiel’s cheek, gaze nervous.

            Castiel lets out a heavy breath before nodding as much as Dean’s grip on his jaw allows. “Yes. Kiss me, Dean” He decides to throw caution to the wind and hope that maybe Dean won’t run away this time.

            Dean lets out a shaky breath and closes the distance between them. Their lips press together gently, barely more than a caress before Dean grows bolder and deepens the kiss, his tongue licking along the seam of Castiel’s lips.

            Cas fists his hands in the back of Dean’s flannel, moaning into their kiss as he parts his lips and lets Dean in. He can feel his grace reaching for Dean’s soul and his physical body yearns for nothing more than to press against Dean from hip to chest.

_Finally_ , he thinks. Finally, Dean is giving in to what they both want. Cas had thought their years of dancing around each other were for naught when Dean had run away after their heat of the moment first kiss, but this feels different. This feels real. This feels right.

            “Dean” Castiel breathes when Dean draws back with a shy smile.

            “Finally” Sam grumbles, causing both men to startle and he brushes by them.

            Dean breaks into deep laughter, clutching his stomach with the force of it as he looks to Cas with a happy sparkle in his eyes.

            Cas chuckles to himself in the face of Dean’s relieved laughter. He shakes his head at the back of Sam’s retreating head with a wide smile, thankful for the younger Winchester’s support. He knows Sam’s approval will do wonders for Dean’s confidence in their budding relationship.

            “Cas?” Dean catches Castiel’s fond expression and reaches for his Angel.

            “Yes, Dean?” Castiel questions as he easily goes to Dean.

            “Kiss me?”

            “Of course, Dean”


End file.
